German discount supermarket chain Aldi triumphed for the second year running in a global survey measuring brand simplicity, which could help determine companies' popularity with customers and employees.
The survey, published on Wednesday by strategic branding firm Siegel+Gale, ranks companies by the simplicity of their communication and customer service. It argues that a "simple" brand is vital, because it creates a higher level of loyalty and pay elasticity from consumers, and increased innovation by employees.
More than 12,000 respondents across eight countries took part in the online survey, which is conducted annually.
Participants said that Aldi, which owns Trader Joe's in the U.S., offered "clear pricing and a clear offer", promoting high quality at low prices.
A trimmed-down approach makes "decisions easier and the shopping experience basic, but rewarding," said Siegel+Gale in its report.
Germany triumphed in the rankings overall, with two more companies in the top 10. These were Lidl—a rival of Aldi—and Miele, which sells domestic appliances.
"Germany led from an international standpoint," noted Siegel+Gale. "A surge of positivity fueled by the World Cup (which Germany won this year)—or are they just better at simplifying?"
Technology giant Google came in at number two, however. "As famously innovative as it is simple, the Google search engine is 'peerless' and 'reliable', according to respondents worldwide," said the branding company.
"In fact, one study found Britons trust Google more than they trust their own families! In India, a respondent marveled that Google 'feels so intuitive, it feels like they're building products based on my input'."